Little Miss Muffet
by Lani Lenore
Summary: A beautiful young girl everyone adore disappears without a trace. Where did she go? The retelling of Little Miss Muffet. This story is dark with wicked themes. R for descriptive death. Twisted Tale No. 5
1. Introduction

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'Little Miss Muffet

Sat on a tuffet

Eating her curds and whey.

Along came a spider

Who sat down beside her

And frightened Miss Muffet away'…

What an understatement…

This rhyme is also the victim of injustice to meaning.  Little unfortunate Miss Muffet would be upset that her story is told so poorly and with such subtle detail.  For it is certain: the girl _did suffer. _

Let us now set the record straight, and clear your mind of the lies you once knew.

~*~


	2. Chapter 1

_Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet, _

_Eating her curds and whey.___

_ Along came a spider… _

**_Little Miss Muffet – The Case_**

_Try to image what it's like… to be a pretty child…_

Samantha Muffet was a beautiful child; the kind that everyone always knew would grow to be an exotically fine-looking woman.  Pleasing to everyone who met her, Little Miss Muffet could lighten the hardest of hearts with her lovely beaming smile and her polite curtseys.  The elders of the village adored her, for she would bring flowers to them from her dainty basket and come to their houses for milk and cookies, just so she could grace the place with her presence.  The older girls would act adoringly towards the girl and always loved to play with her fine blond locks and tease her about boyfriends.  Having stayed with and been nurtured by the older girls, Samantha was quite confident in her manner of speaking with boys, and so she would even flirt with the older ones when they would speak to her.  The children her age thought highly of her, for she always had the most interesting stories and witty jokes. 

Miss Muffet's father was a prominent figure in society.  Being a lawyer, he had made quite a nice home for his family in the small town of Veruka Springs, but also being the small-town preacher, he had proven that not all lawyers were crooked liars.  Mrs. Muffet was a lovely woman, just like her daughter would grow to be.  She was one who always made baskets for the widows and made clothes for the less prominent.  The girl had indeed learned much from her parents and was loved by everyone.

That was why it had been such a shock when she had come up missing…

The girl of twelve had gone out to eat her lunch, passing out of the small schoolhouse and separating herself from the other children – that was the last anyone saw of her.  The girl was missing a week before even the smallest evidence appeared.

Her father had claimed that he would personally condemn anyone that took his daughter to prison _and to hell.  Samantha's mother could only sit and cry for her lovely little daughter's sake.  Where had she gone?  Had they not treated her well? _

The whole town was indeed convinced that the child had been kidnapped.  There could be no other possible explanation.  The girl had been off by herself and completely unsupervised, when she had been taken and carried away to God knows where, which looked especially bad on her teacher, Nancy Gillcrest. 

Miss Gillcrest was a young woman in her twenties, who had a hard time keeping up with the twenty-seven children she had to watch all by herself.  The day of the trial, this woman was first to take the stand, smoothing her dress over her long legs and taking her seat at the witness stand under the harsh stare of Samantha's father.  This was her story:

"Miss Muffet was always a sweet girl.  I had nothing against her.  She brought me apples some days and led the class on nature walks through the trees.  On the day in mention, I did notice her being very quiet at school.  While usually answering all the questions, she was silent on this day.  I figure my students all have their days when they want to be alone, and so I didn't bother her to ask questions.'

'Soon, it was time for lunch.  All the children grabbed their packs and headed outside, where the weather was nice.  I sat down on the steps just outside to keep an eye on the children.  I did notice that Miss Muffet was not sitting with the usual group, but I didn't think much of it; she had many friends.'

'After a while, I happened to look out through the trees and – I'm almost sure it was her – I saw her running.  I assumed she was playing tag with some other children, so I didn't give it too much attention.  But then… she didn't return after lunch… and we never found her…"

However much information could be gotten from this was uncertain.  Of course, all of what the teacher had said could be forgiven, though for a parent it is hard to forgive.  The teacher was asked nothing more of the matter, but the likes of two children would then be asked to convey their story of the girl.  Though they were not of proper age, their testimony was desperately needed to make sense of the girl's mysterious disappearance.

The story from a girl of ten, Antonia Crowley, was less than helpful.  Her tears could not be stifled throughout the questioning, and her father had finally withdrawn her from the negative attention.  What they could get from her story had gone this way:

"She was so mad! I didn't know!" she clamed through her tears. "She had gotten mad at Sally and wouldn't eat with us.  I don't know why… Sally didn't do anything!  All of a sudden she just blew up and started yelling and stormed off!  I… I…" 

The girl had sputtered and sobbed, crying her small blue eyes out.  This had gone nowhere, but luckily, they had gotten the name of their next to question: Sally Hamilton. 

Sally had been Samantha's best friend.  The two girls looked quite alike, save the fact that Samantha's hair had been curly, Sally's was not.  Though only twelve, Sally took her questioning calmly, as though an adult.  Perhaps her anger for Samantha was still present, even though she was missing.

"Samantha had gotten angry with me that day.  She told me that she liked Luke Riker, the only guy I've ever loved!  She knew I liked him, but she didn't care, and _that's why she refused to sit with us.  I don't know where she went, and truthfully, I couldn't have cared less.  We were mad, and that was the way it would be.  The two of would always make up before though, but then she never came back…"_

Sally's voice had trailed off then, a tone of mourning inside it.  Perhaps this girl was not as far from remorse as she seemed, but she had nothing else to say; that was all she knew.

The questioning of Luke Riker could have gone better.  There was hope in finding out some true information from him about Miss Muffet, but none was found.  In fact, this man offered the least amount of any of them. 

"I didn't know Samantha," he said in his smooth twenty-year-old voice. "She was young.  Yes, I knew who she was, but I didn't know her personally.  Could she have had a crush on me?  Yes; I would say it was possible, but I have no idea why you would even think to ask me."

The court was in a slump.  The investigators had searched high and low throughout the town and the surrounding woods and still had located no body.  There was no evidence.  None could testify against anyone else.  If it had been a kidnapping, all was _too perfect._

The body of Miss Muffet would never be found in the small town of Veruka Springs.  In fact, after a year was done, everyone had moved on about their lives.  Nancy Gillcrest had left town to attend the University north of there.  Luke Riker had moved away as well, pursing a career up north. Mr. and Mrs. Muffet were expecting another child, and the children were growing older and had pretty much forgotten about Little Miss Samantha Muffet. 

No one would ever know what happened to this child.  Had she indeed been kidnapped?  Was she living elsewhere with a different family?  Had she made it alone on the street by herself after being kidnapped?  Had she run away?  Had she been – as most had finally accepted – murdered?  No one in Veruka Springs would ever know the truth…

That was… no one except the party actually responsible for Miss Muffet's disappearance… and _they would never tell another living soul…_


	3. Chapter 2

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**_Little Miss Muffet – The Death_**

_My beautiful child… where have you gone…?_

Samantha Muffet looked down over the lunch she had packed.  Curds and whey…what had she been thinking this morning?  It was sad to say, but she couldn't really remember.  Her night had been full of twelve-year-old dreams of Luke Riker.  Oh, Luke!  Just the sight of him and his dark russet hair and piercing blue eyes made her melt from the inside out.  Who cared that she had never actually talked to him?  She was almost old enough to marry, and she had picked him.  She would have him, too.  How could he refuse?

Samantha had thought it strange that Sally had acted the way she did when she had said something about Luke.  So what if Sally happened to like him as well?  It was Samantha's mother who had suggested him to her daughter after all.  Besides, Sally was much too chubby to have him anyway.  Samantha might as well shoot for it.  In a year she would pretty much be a woman.  Then she could marry and have Luke all to herself.

Ah… Luke… the sweet name rolled off her lips like honey.  She wondered if he thought the same of her…

She had worn her best dress today.  It was long and pink with lots of ruffles, fitting close to her blossoming figure.  Her hair was done up nicely with a matching bow.  For her lunch, she had ventured off alone into the woods, and despite what Antonia thought, Samantha had _planned to come here today.  She knew that Luke had passed through here everyday for the past week.  Sometimes when she was outside, he would wave at her, and everyday she would not be able to speak with him.  This day she would be prepared. _

The girl made herself comfortable on a large rock nearby and crossed her legs, just as she had seen the older girls do beneath their long skirts.  Sitting there alone and arranging her food before her, she had imagined herself sitting upon a grand tuffet in a beautiful house.  She would be prim and proper, though really she had no reason to be.  She would sit on this "tuffet" casually until Luke just happened to pass by.  Then she would say the line that she had rehearsed to strenuously until it had become perfect.

_Why Luke!  Fancy meeting you out here!  _

From there on, it would lead into brilliant conversation, to which she would listen while he talked; it was the proper thing for a lady to do.

Oh, how she waited for him in anticipation!  But she would, of course, act obliviously when she saw him coming towards her.  It was only the…

"Well well," said the voice from behind her.

Her heart jumped in her throat when she heard it and her face became hot.  He was here?  But… he had caught her off guard!  No matter, she would try to improvise.

"Fancy meeting you here, Samantha Muffet," said Luke, titling his head to her and placing his hands on his hips.

All she could do was look up at him without words.  She had nothing to say!  He had stolen her line!  She took a deep breath to calm herself.  She could do this…

"Hello Luke," she said sweetly. "What brings you out here?"

"The weather," he said, approaching as her face became hotter.  She turned away as he continued. "Nice day isn't it?"

"Yeah. I've always thought the forest was really nice when the breeze was just barely blowing through the trees… So, what have you been doing out here all this week?"

"Hoping that you'd get the hint," he said, sitting down on the rock beside her.

"Oh…" she said lowly, taking great care not to look at him.

So… he did feel that way too…

"So, how have you been, Miss Muffet?" he asked her, as though not quite sure what to say.

She could understand that; she was flabbergasted as well.

"I'm fine… except for all those boring lectures Miss Gillcrest gives us in class.  I cannot wait until next year when I can stay at home if I want."

Luke's face lit with laughter. She smiled.

"Nancy always _was boring," he commented in thought._

"Nancy? You… know Miss Gillcrest?" she asked, her face growing hot with jealousy; her heart beating faster.

"We pretty much grew up together, you know. We're the same age."

Samantha thought for a moment.  Comparing him with her teacher did make him seem rather old now, but her father was more than ten years older than her mother.  They had married young; there was nothing wrong with it.

"I see," she said, placing her hands in her lap carefully.

"So, what sorts of things do you like?" Luke asked, hearing the voices of children in the background.  The lunchtime lacked not too much longer being done with.

"I like… flowers, dresses,… boys," she said coyly with a smile.

"What else?" he asked, his smooth voice sounding interested.

"Kittens… talking with older women… hmmm… what else?" she asked herself. 

"You… like spiders, Miss Muffet?" asked Luke on a whim.

Spiders?  Why would he ask such a thing?  Was he teasing her?

"I don't too much care for spiders," she said simply, not seeing much harm in playing down her real opinion. 

"Why not?" Luke asked. "Is it the prickly legs?  The dozens of beady eyes?"

Samantha laugh uncomfortably.  Why had he asked?  Did he know of her fear and was trying to get her to confess?  What did it really matter that she was particularly afraid of spiders?  So what if once, when she had seen a spider in her house, she had frozen and her mother had to pick her up from the spot and carry her to the other end of the house to get her to move again?  So what if she was deathly… allergic?

"I don't suppose any girl really likes spiders," she said quietly. 

Luke was silent for a moment, reaching his right hand to his side and picking up something between his index finger and thumb.  Then he turned to Samantha, his blue eyes lighting wildly. 

"Sally likes spiders," he commented, raising his fingers up to his face and examining them. 

Samantha's breath caught in her throat as she stared at him.  What was he doing?

There, resting between his fingers was… a spider.  A black widow, to be exact.  Samantha knew what those looked like.  Its black shiny form writhed between his fingers, but he held it in such a fashion that it could not escape, nor place its poison in him.

Samantha stared at it wide eyed, pushing herself back away from Luke, as he brought the bug closer to him, and ultimately, closer to her. 

"What are you doing with that? Why'd you have a spider in your pocket?" she asked in confusion and fear, though she tried not to let it show much.

"Spiders are… an obsession of mine," he stated, looking over the polished black form. "They're… intriguing." He turned his face to her. "Just like you.  I wanted to know if my two 'current' obsessions could go together well."

"Current obsessions?" she asked, becoming a bit more comfortable, as long as the spider stayed over there with him.

"Yes; spiders… and you," he told her.

"Sally likes you.  Why are you not obsessed with her?" she asked.

Luke shook his head. 

"Too chubby," he stated. "She… did respect my fascination with spiders though…" he trailed.

"I mean… I can _stand spiders…" said Samantha, trying to sound more confident.   _

"Sally… well, never mind.  If you don't like spiders, then you don't like them.  Sorry I asked…"

"What?" Samantha demanded. "Sally what?"

Luke took a deep breath.  Then he directed his crystal gaze toward the girl, who looked on in anticipation.

"Sally let it crawl on her arm," he said.

Samantha's heart jumped.

"And you… liked that?" she asked.

"I thought it was extremely _sexy," he said with a heart-melting smile. _

Samantha turned red and her face grew hotter than ever before.  This was such a forceful and passionate word for a young girl like her.  He was… serious about this?  Sure, it was a bit strange, but she aimed to please him.  But… let the spider crawl on her arm?  It could have been just about anything but that. She would have done anything else.  But she _had to outdo Sally!  This was the boy that she wanted!  This was the one her mother wanted her to have!  She had to please her mother… which meant that she would have to outdo Sally… at whatever cost._

"It won't bite you, if that's what you're worried about," he said. "They only bite if they feel threatened. As long as you're still…"

In that case, perhaps it wouldn't be too bad…

Samantha moved slowly, but her arm extended out before him, her pale skin shining in the sunlight.  He looked down at her arm and then back up into her eyes.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his gaze locked on hers.

She stared at him a moment as her heart began to beat faster.  Slowly, she began to nod.  Very gradually, Luke lowered the spider down to her arm.  The closer it came, the faster Samantha's heart began to beat.  She could almost feel sweat drops forming on her forehead.  Suddenly, she jerked her arm back to his amazement.

"Wait," she said. 

"Having second thoughts?" he asked, disappointedly.

"When I ask you to take it off, you will, right?" she asked. She needed assurance. He smiled.

"Of course," he promised.

With a small nod, she again outstretched her arm and the black arachnid was dropped onto her white skin.  She shuttered, her whole body growing tight with anxiety, but she dared not move.  She breathed through her nose carefully, not even considering looking over to Luke, who was watching her closely.  Her attention belonged to the eight-legged creature.

She watched it s it crawled slowly down arm, then stopped short a moment, only to crawl up to her arm and close to her sleeve before it stopped again.  She had almost begun to panic, but then remembered that she mustn't.  Very slowly, she opened her lips.

"You can get it off now," she said.

Luke hesitated for only a slight moment, but soon, his fingers were reaching for the spider, that was almost ready to dart under her sleeve.

Pressing his fingers against it, she watched for him to make his way of removing the spider, which he did not.  What… was he doing?  Instead of pulling the spider from her, ever so slowly, he began to squeeze the creature.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, wanting to flail her arm, but struck with fear not to.

"Just giving it a little… persuasion," he replied, squeezing the thing harder.

Persuasion? What was he…?

The pinch sent a wave of pain through Samantha as tears emitted from her eyes from shock.  Her breathing quickened in panic as she looked down at the large welt already forming on her arm.  She slumped down off the rock and collapsed to her knees on the ground, holding her arm in fear for her life.  She saw the spider fall to the ground before her face, only to have Luke's foot come crushing down upon it, rubbing it into the dirt in a gooey mass.

"Luke!" she cried through her tears. "You _must go get Miss Gillcrest!  I have to see a doctor!"_

"Whatever for?" he asked, standing.

"I'm… very allergic… to spiders!" she said, already feeling the effects throughout her body as she scratched at the itch that would soon turn to pain.

"Yes," Luke said. "I know.  It's quite the shame.  But it is good for me."

What was he…?

She jerked her head up to him in confusion as he stared down at her with cold eyes. 

"Help won't be coming, sweeting," he assured her. "Just die quietly."

She shook her head vigorously.  Die?  He was _trying to kill her?  She had never done anything to him before!  How could he want her… dead?  This was too much!  She had to get away!  If she was to die, he would not be present.  Perhaps she could still get help. _

Gathering all her strength, she pulled herself from the ground and began to run blindly through the trees, clutching her arm.  If he was running after her, she could not tell.  She just continued on, running as fast as her legs could carry her, which wasn't fast enough to outrun a strapping man of twenty.

Sucking in breath as best she could and stepping over rocks and fallen limbs, Samantha thought she could make her around the back of the school house.  Then, she could tell Miss Gillcrest, or perhaps one of the other children would see her.  Pushing herself to run a little bit faster, though the flowing of her blood was pushing the poison further into her veins, she shot out of the trees and falling over herself onto the ground. 

"Samantha?" came the sweet voice nearby.

Raising her heavy head which was perspiring rapidly, the girl's eyes fell on her teacher, Miss Gillcrest, who ran towards her at the edge of the trees. Finally, she would be alright…

"Samantha, what are you doing out here?" she asked, seeming to not even notice the poor girl's skin turning pasty white.

"Miss… Gillcrest…," Samantha began, very much out of breath. "I need a doctor…"

"Yes, Samantha, but what are you doing out here?" she asked, pulling the girl up.

"Luke made a… spider bite me!" she exclaimed. 

Nancy raised her hands to her head. 

"Exactly," she began. "So… what are you doing _out here?"_

Samantha stumbled back a few steps.

"Miss Gillcrest…?" she sputtered.

Perhaps, if Samantha tried hard enough, she could get out into the open and the others would see her.  Pressing her foot to take off to the woman's right, she wasn't quick enough.  Nancy jumped into her way, pulling something small and slender from her dress.  Samantha stared down at the knife as it reflected the rays of the sun.  She gasped and choked on her tears.  What was going on?

"Back into the woods, Samantha," Nancy instructed. "Now."

Samantha hesitated.  What to do?  Die now by the hand of her teacher, or try to find another way out of the woods? 

"Now, Samantha!" Nancy said, raising her voice, a tone of uncertainty inside. "It won't do for the children to see your bloated dying form.  Is that the way you want them to remember you?"

The girl shook her head in pain and turned away, pushing herself back into the woods, though her run was extremely slow by this time.  Nancy watched her go.  Why?  Why had she done this, she asked herself as she closed her eyes in thought. 

Feeling a presence behind her, Miss Gillcrest turned her head to the corner of the school house, where a little girl watched in silence.  The teacher sighed; she had been seen.  But she knew this one… she would never tell.

"Antonia," the teacher addressed with a tear in her eye for what she had done. "Don't you say a word."

Antonia was a fearful and disturbed little girl who believed in the tortures of death.  She would never tell a soul…

Samantha tore through the trees as she ran down the hill, the whole of her arm becoming purple and swelled.  She could fell her face swelling as well, along with her hands and feet.  She continued on, despite the pain that shot through her whole body. 

Reaching the bottom of the hill, she was greeted but the Veruka River which ran from the spring north of the town.  She watched as the passing water carried her thoughts away in hypnotism.  Should she try to cross?  She was feeling awfully weak, and if she fell into the water it could simply drag her away.  But what kind of help could she get by waiting here?  Perhaps if she headed back…

Turning around, her weakened gaze was cast upon Luke, who had silently made his way through the bushes.  Her heart jumped at his sight, panic sinking over her.  Now what…

"Took you long enough to get here," he said, taking a few steps towards her.

She stepped back a few steps into the water, feeling the wetness against her ankles.

"Going for a swim?" he asked, pulling a slender knife into her view.

"Why are you doing this?!" she screamed with all she had left.

"Sorry, love," he said. "Daddy's orders."

What? Her father…? She grasped her hands to her head.  This could not be!  Why…? 

"I want to tell you that I am really… truly sorry about this, Samantha.  You were a nice enough girl.  It was just… something that had to be done."

Samantha gasped for her last controlled breaths.  Feeling the power fail in her legs, she fell to the ground, staring up at the sky, all the veins in her body visible and purple.  Her eyes rolled back in their bloodshot state, and soon, they closed, and she moved no more. 

Luke stared down to her body, unmoving.  Walking down to her body and giving it a light kick, he assured that she was no longer moving.  Good, it was over.

With the push of his foot, the body rolled over into the river as the current took controlled and pulled it downstream.  Luke watched until it was out of sight and then threw the knife in after. He sighed deeply, the deed having finally been done. 

No more Little Miss Muffet.  Now, his life could finally carry on without fear.


	4. Chapter 3

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**_Little Miss Muffet – Conclusion_**

_The lovely child… not so perfect it seems…_

Nancy Gillcrest sat in her room at the dormitory, staring down at the calendar on the desk below.  _April 15th.  One year ago today… that was when it happened.  She sighed in regret and put her hands to her head.  She had never meant for it to happen!  She had never meant for any of it to happen!  And innocent girl had to die… just so she could be safe…  It was wrong.  She had known that all along, but what was she to do?  One wrong doing only causes others…_

She remembered that night well – the night of the proposition.  She had received the unmarked letter earlier that day, telling her that she had better come to the church tower late that night – and she had better come alone.  The letter told her that she should just do this – if she wanted her secret to stay a secret.

Nancy had gone, clenching her coat together in the rain, hoping that no one saw her and wondering who wanted to see her.  Who knew her secret?  How could they have known?  She had tried to cover it us as best she could, and no one had figured it out – before now.

The church had been dark on the inside, and she was almost afraid to venture into the tower alone.  Somehow though, she knew she must.  She made her way through the main hall of the church and to the stairwell, which she climbed as carefully and quietly as possible. 

Entering into the small tower room, she was greeted with the dark.  Two chairs sat out in the middle of the floor.  She supposed one was for her… but what of the other.  She walked towards one and sat, looking out the window at the teeming rain.  She smoothed her wet blond hair from her face and sighed quietly.  Strangely, a church was one of the most intimidating places to be at night in a thunder storm.  Much to her displeasure she had just now realized this.

Behind her, she heard a door creek open slowly.  She didn't want to turn, for fear of who would be entering.  She simply clutched the bag in her lap tighter until a voice came.

"Nancy?" 

Her ears filled with the sweet voice that she knew all too well.  Turning her head, her eyes rested on him; his tall and slender form in the doorway and crystal blue gaze interrupted by strands of dark hair.  Her eyes filled with confusion when she saw him.  He… couldn't be the one doing this…  Perhaps he was getting terrorized by this as she was, but either way, his appearance did not make the situation look good.

"Luke!" she sputtered. "What are you doing here?"

"Yes; I assume that you are both wondering that," came the voice from the shadows.

Luke squinted in that direction, but could make out nothing but the form of a man.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Just sit down, Mr. Riker," the voice said.

Luke wasn't one to be pushed around, but Nancy tugged on his sleeve. 

"Please, let's just get this over with," she begged.

Reluctantly, Luke found the chair.

"Good.  I'm glad to see you're both open about this."

"What do you want?" Luke asked again.

"A favor," said the voice, finally taking the form of a man as he came into the light of the flashing lightning.

"Mr… Muffet?" Nancy said in shock, her eyes looking on in confusion.  This man wore two hats – minister and lawyer – now which one did he wear now?  She prayed it was not the latter.

"First things first," he said, lighting a small candle on his desk. "You _do know what you have come here to prevent, right?"_

The two just looked on at him.  Luke's eyes showed anger, while Nancy's held fear.

"What would that be?" Luke asked.

How much did this man know?  He wasn't going to give anything away. 

"Very well.  I figured an explanation would be in order," said Mr. Muffet, sitting down at his desk. "I happened to notice something in a file the other day.  It seems there was a case dropped in Vicksburg about two years ago.  There was a woman there whose husband died.  The courts investigated it as a murder, because they found the man's body caught in a beaver dam downstream in the Veruka River.  Unable to find any form of foul play, the court dismissed it as an accidental death – after they found that the man had supposedly had a serious reaction… to a black widow bite while fishing.  You two know anything abut that?"

Nancy looked down to the floor, her head spinning. How could he…?

"I don't know what you're talking about.  What does this have to do with anything?" Luke asked, crossing his arms.

"Let me continue," said Muffet. "After an extensive bit of research, I noticed that the woman's name was Nancy Karmen…a name I simply _had to look into.  I found out that the woman's maiden name had been Gillcrest."_

"Who cares if her husband died?  So what, if it was an accident," Luke defended.

"_If it was an accident, he said. "Was it?"_

"Sounds like one to me," Luke continued to insist.

"Try this on for size then:  It came up slowly, but finally I discovered that at the time of the man's death, his lovely wife Nancy had met a man at market.  Then, she had fallen in love with this man.  She knew him from her youth, and they shared an affair that lasted several long months.  Then, her husband began to suspect something… they got scared.  Something would have to be done, or they could both hang… perhaps… death would be something probable.  But if they were to plan a murder, it would have to be good.  It would have to be the most perfect thing ever imagined.  So, Nancy remembered something that no one else knew, and in fact, it was something that no one else was aware that she knew.  Her husband – was deathly allergic to spiders.  With that thought, she conspired with her lover – Luke Riker – and they made a spider bite her husband and then shoved him into the river in his fishing equipment.  It was too perfect wasn't it?"

Luke and Nancy sat in silence, not wanting to look at the man or each other. This had been so secretive. Yes; it had been _too perfect.         _

"What's this "favor" you want?" Luke asked.

"What do you want?" asked Nancy. "Money?  We don't have it."

"It's not money," said Luke. "He has enough of that.  There's something he wants us to… do."

Muffet nodded, rising and pacing back and forth in front of the window. 

"Allow me to say, that if you refuse my offer, some very important people may find out about your secret.  It wouldn't be smart to try and dispose of me, because the papers are drafted.  At the slightest happening, the papers will be automatically sent by another source to those people you so desperately hope never sees them."

"Out with it," Luke demanded, shaking his foot in stress as Nancy wept quietly.

"You know Samantha… don't you?"

A wave of silence swept over the room and Nancy's crying stopped and she looked up with puffy eyes from her hands.

"Your daughter?" she asked.

"Not my daughter," he confirmed, turning his back to them.

"There are no other Samanthas," said Luke.

"I mean Samantha Muffet… but she is not my daughter," the man said quietly.

"What do you mean?" asked Nancy, not sure where this was going.

"She is a pathetic, spoiled, disrespectful excuse for a child!  My wife tried to keep it a secret from me for years.  Samantha is not my child. I suppose somehow I knew it, but didn't want to accept it.  The woman didn't keep the secret well enough.  Can you believe she told the child!  She told Samantha that she wasn't mine!  Can you imagine the nerve!" The man put his hand to his head in pain. "That's how I found out.  That child uses that truth to tear me apart – every single day.  She's all sweetness and nice to everyone else but to me she's a devil!  She's only her mother's little angel!  I want to start again.  I want a new life with a new child that is actually my own!"

"What does this have to do with us?" Nancy asked when he had become quiet.

He turned his face to them slowly with an evil grin.

Samantha has that same allergy to spiders," he said, his eyes flashing with the lightning.

Nancy gasped and looked over to Luke, whose expression was firm.  He didn't like this thought, but what other choice did he have?

"When do you want it done?" he asked.

"No!" Nancy screamed grabbing his arm. "Luke, I said no more death!  No more killing!  I'm haunted every night by what we have already done.  No more!"

Luke cupped her face in his hands. 

"Nancy," he said calmly. "What choice do we have?  We'll die if he sends those papers…"

"But… an innocent little girl…" Nancy sobbed.

"She is far from innocent," Muffet assured them. 

Nancy shook her head. This couldn't be… she couldn't do this…

"Wait a month," Muffet instructed. "But you two will be taken care of.  As of today, Miss Gillcrest, you are enrolled in Carson University, and will start there in three months.  Mr. Riker, as of next week, you have a job in Carson that you will be starting in two months.  Along with the money I will send, you can court and marry at your own leisure, as you see fit.  On top of that, since I'm sure I will be working this case, I will make sure that you do not get caught in this… it will be… more perfect than your first endeavor."

Nancy was silent.  This man was mad!  This was insane!  He had no good reason… then again… she supposed she hadn't had a good reason the first time either. 

Luke had already made up his mind.  He and Nancy had moved here and lived separate lives after the murder of her husband so that after a while, they could "meet" and later marry, with no suspicion.  He wanted Nancy to be safe.  The only way he could insure that would be to do the deed.

"Why us?" asked Luke. "Just because you can run us?"

"Because my wife has great admiration for you, Luke.  I heard her tell my daughter that she should try to chase you.  You'd be a fine catch.  I had researched Miss Gillcrest as a likely candidate for my task, but when I found out that you were involved with her – and overheard my wife – I couldn't think of a better idea."

Silence passed over the room as the thunder rolled in the distance.  Luke slowly looked up to the man with his steely blue eyes.

"In a month, I will see this through for you," Luke promised. "If the papers are destroyed and none of this comes back to us ever again."

Nancy looked at him in shock. No…

"The papers will be destroyed after a month has passed and the deed is done.  When I have my life back…"

Nancy lowered her voice to Luke.

"There could be some other way. We don't have to do this!"

"This is all we have now. We can have new lives."

"That's what you said before…" she said. "This is going to follow us wherever we go.  I don't want any part of this."

"If either one of you refuses, the papers will be sent… and no matter what, the other of you will be exposed and suffer the same torment," Muffet explained, emotionless.  

So, even if Nancy refused, Luke would get the blame, and he would hang as well.  No matter what she did to try to get out of it, even if she didn't care about herself, he would suffer.  That was what changed her mind…

"Fine," she had finally said, giving in. "I'll do it."

Regret had filled the rest of her days from the time she had run Samantha back into the woods to die till this day.  Though she was happy at the university, she had put Luke away from her a while, despite his pleas.  She wanted some time to forgive herself before she could move on.  He had finally given in and let her be alone.  She hadn't talked to him in five months…

Sitting silently, she pushed the hair away from her face and stared down at the paper on her desk.  She had gotten her mail call today, but had not bothered to open the letters.  Pushing back the tears from her eyes, she picked up the first letter and opened it slowly.  Reaching her hand slowly inside to grasp and pull out the letter, she recoiled when she felt something strange down deep inside. 

Turning up the light of the kerosene lamp beside her, she turned up the envelope and let the small, strange looking object fall onto the desk.  Looking closer, the object was small and virtually flat.  The black thing had no shape or form, until she flipped it over onto its back to stare at the red hourglass shape thereon.

A crushed black widow…?  What would that be doing in the envelope?  Was this some sort of sick joke of Luke's? 

Looking closer, she noticed the paper deep inside and pulled it out with two fingers.  Unfolding it carefully and squinted to read the scribbled writing.  Nancy's eyes grew wider as she read the jumbled words before her.

Little Miss Muffet

Sat on her 'tuffet'

Eating her curds and whey.

Along came a spider,

Who sat down beside her,

And frightened Miss Muffet away.

'Frightened away' is not the same as 'dead', Miss Gillcrest.

You'd do well to remember that.

While I'm in town, I thought I'd drop by to finish some business.

There are several friends I want to see… before I leave and head back down to Veruka Springs.

Oh, and Miss Gillcrest,

I'm not afraid of spiders… anymore…

~**fin~**


	5. Notes and Other Twisted Tales

**Check out my new tale, The Nutcracker Bleeds, on fictionpress! **(description at bottom)

Thanks for reading!!

**Disclaimer thing:** I do not necessarily back the opinions of my characters; that's why they aren't real. And of course, I don't own any of the original fairy tales, just the retellings.

I have told where you can find the other stories, and whether on fanfiction or fictionpress, they're under Lani Lenore.

_**Other tales:**_

**Behind Sanity** ----- Twisted Tale No. 1 _(horror/suspense/romance/mystery) rated R: blood, rape, violence, sexual content, and language _

Status: Complete

Found on: Fanfiction

Alice goes back to Wonderland when she's a teenager. Things are different now, and she begins to realize that this strange place may not be all in her mind. Despite her own wishes and with the persuasion of old friends, she finds just how urgent it is to defeat the Red Queen and she must do it in order to save those she truly cares about… (based on American McGee's Alice)

**Never Land** ----- Twisted Tale No. 2 _(supernatural/suspense/romance/horror)_ _rated R: blood, violence, sexual content, wicked mischief, and language _

Status: Discontinued

Found on: Fictionpress

A twisted Peter Pan. Wendy's insane, or is she? Her brothers are dead, Peter's a demon, and the Lost Boys are scattered abroad the vast and corrupted Neverland. Can Wendy pull the last good forces or Neverland together to defeat a mortifying evil? Or is it the good that is the bad?

**Jack and Jill** ----- Twisted Tale No. 3 (finished) _(horror/romance/drama)_ _rated R: domestic violence, murder, graphic death, self-mutilation, language, and sexual content) _

Status: Complete

Found on: Fictionpress

Jack, a minister's son, and Jill, a mentally and physically abuse girl, live in a small village and despite them having to be together everyday, they think they have nothing in common. One day everything changes and they find a bond in each other that cannot even be broken through death… In the end, who will really suffer?

**Window Panes of Sugar** ----- Twisted Tale No. 4 (finished) _(supernatural/horror) rated R: language and graphic death_

Status: Complete

Found on: Fictionpress

Hansel and Gretel retold with a twisted, supernatural plot. A stepmother overcome with lust and jealously seeks to rid herself from the teenage Hansel and Gretel. The two become lost in a cursed wood, and must fight for their very sanity, until they come upon a cottage made of gingerbread… and everything changes…

**Little Miss Muffet ----- **Twisted Tale No. 5 (finished) _(horror/suspense/mystery) rated R: graphic death_

Status: Complete

Found on: Fanfiction

The truth about Little Miss Muffet. A girl everyone adores disappears. Why? Who is responsible? (Short Three Chapter Bonus Story)

**Three Blind Mice** --- -- Twisted Tale No. 6

Status: Removed and discontinued

**Cinderella ----- **Twisted Tale No. 7 _(horror/mystery/drama/suspense) rated R: wicked mischief, self mutilation, murder, dark religious concepts_

Status: Complete

Found on: Fictionpress

"_Cinderella isn't meek and her "prince" isn't charming." _

Cindy Ella Madison works in a mortuary with her father. After he dies from a mysterious illness, her step-mother takes hold in the house and forces Cindy to become a servant. Years pass until one day when a mysterious woman comes to stay at the house. She knows something about Cindy and her family. But what? Strange prophecies are made with no clear answers, clouding the true path of Cindy's future. Will Cindy get what she wants, or will she be forced to live a life of misery forever?

**Pandora's Box** ----- Twisted Tale No. 8 (_horror/mystery/suspense) rated R: gore, and disturbing images._

Status: On hold

Found on: Fictionpress

A futuristic retelling of Pandora's box.

**The Blood of Dogs** ----- Twisted Tale No. 9 _(mystery/ suspense/drama) rated: R (rape, violence, murder) _

Status: On hold

Found on: Fictionpress

Not exactly a fairy tale, but it's a pretty twisted version of several Bible stories woven together, taking place in a fairytale kingdom setting.

**The Nutcracker Bleeds** ----- Twisted Tale No. 10 (new!)

Status: In progress.

Found on: Fictionpress

My most shocking and Twisted Tale yet? Maybe. I've gotten a little older and have refined my writing style a little more. Expect _anything_.

This story is, of course, a retelling of the story/ballet of The Nutcracker. Ever think the eyes of a doll are watching you as you walk around a room? Or perhaps you've wondered if they don't have their own perverse society when you aren't watching? This story about one who finds out the truth and gets cast headlong into a war between demented, immoral toys and deformed, ingenious rodents.

But are there also other secrets going on in the Ellington house amongst its _human _inhabitants? As the clock ticks, only the night will tell.


End file.
